One Flesh

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But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Mark 10.6-8 NIV

The heading given in the NIV Bible for verses 1-12 of Mark chapter 10 is “Divorce”. In this context could it be that, at least, part of the problem is a lack of understanding of what is meant by “becoming one flesh”.

Is our understanding of these words related entirely to the act of physical/sexual union? No doubt this is part of the meaning and a very important part seeing how “God made them male and female” and “God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” 1 Tim.6.17. This union is also essential to the continuation of the human race.

But that is not all! When we take a look at Ephesians 5.21-33 we see that Paul directs our thoughts and, therefore, our actions in a more direct and spiritual application. Paul tells us that love is necessary for a true union and that that love has an objective in that it should be as intense as “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” Ephesians 5.25. Space here does not allow us to list all the ways that Christ demonstrated his love for the church but one particularly comes to mind – Matthew 11.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls (and peace and fulfilment in being one flesh – words in italics are mine).

I close with a quotation taken from a declaration which is sometimes used at the beginning of a marriage service. “It was instituted for the lifelong companionship and devotion of husband and wife, for the mutual fulfilment and satisfaction of their natural affections, for the procreation of children and their Godly upbringing, and for the stability of society to which regard for the sanctity and discipline of marriage makes an essential contribution. “The Reformed Book of Common Order”.

May God bless you and keep you.

Roy

One Body, One Kingdom, One Joy

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John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

(Mark 9:38-41 ESV)

There is a time to be exclusive.  A time to be exceedingly, uncompromisingly stubborn – particularly when it comes to the big questions about salvation and Jesus and the freeness of grace and the reality of judgement.  Truth is, by its very nature, exclusive.

But there is also a time to be recognise that God is breaking in and breaking out and building his kingdom and creating life and saving people and transforming lives and making holy what was profane and is more active and more determined and more gracious than we could ever imagine.

And that we may have a sufficient grasp of the gospel and of scripture to serve God and his people well.  But we don’t have a sufficient grasp to sit in judgement over all his other servants.  He has not entrusted to us the details of all the things that he has called them to do.  Nor is the mission of other Christians determined by our prejudices or preferences.  Nor has he called us to interfere.  Nor has he called us to blindly copy them.  (But we can still be sure that God does not contradict himself).

So let’s seek to develop the maturity that recognises and celebrates the work of God where ever it’s found – whether we naturally identify with the people God is using, or not – and let’s seek to join with them by playing our part, whether we’re planting churches, sharing our faith with friends who don’t yet love Jesus, or just making them a cup of tea.   Instead of marginalising each other, acting like critics instead of creators, let’s seek to encourage each other as  we magnify  together the global fame of our crucified and resurrected Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

What are you trusting in?

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And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

(Mark 9:14-32 ESV)

Immediately following the scene of the transfiguration up on the mountain top we are taken straight to what is going on below -  a scene of arguing and of confusion.  The 9 remaining disciples have just failed to cast out a demon from a boy and are arguing with the scribes surrounded by a crowd.  The disciples had previously cast out demons as they had gone on their way but something this time was different. They might well have been thinking “We’ve done this before, we can do it again” – in an almost mechanical way of operating as we can often do with things that are familiar.

In this is where they went wrong, instead of depending on Jesus and calling on his name they were trying to do this in their own strength and putting their faith in what had happened previously rather than in Jesus.  This is why Jesus calls them faithless and tells them it is only through prayer that the demon can be cast out.

Do you trust in your experience instead of asking Jesus for help?  Looking ahead over this week, how much of what is coming have you asked Jesus to walk with you and help you in?

Maybe you’ve found yourself at the point the disciples were at, having tried things your own way in your own strength and failed or things haven’t gone the way you expected.  So what now? We need to be like the father in the passage – the one person who admits his weakness, saying to Jesus “I believe; help my unbelief!” – We need to acknowledge our weakness and our need for Jesus to help us.

What area of your life do you find yourself doubting Jesus involvement in or thinking he can’t do anything about?  Do you have unwelcome sin that you keep coming back to that you wonder why you can’t get free from it?

Let’s take all these things to Jesus in prayer, confessing them to him now, admitting our weakness, seeking his help and inviting him to return to take the helm as Lord of every part of our lives.

Other helpful resources on this topic:

The Secret of Failure preached by C.H. Spurgeon on 1 Mar 1896

Did you forget you’re saved? by Tullian Tchividjian at The Resurgence

3 Steps to shrink spiritually by Matt Johnson at The Resurgence

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Mark 9:1-32

9:1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

The Transfiguration

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one [1] on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, [2] it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified.7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; [3] listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out [4] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” [5]

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Exodus 34:33-35

33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (ESV)

Footnotes

[1] 9:3 Greek no cloth refiner
[2] 9:5 Rabbi means my teacher, or my master
[3] 9:7 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
[4] 9:24 Some manuscripts add with tears
[5] 9:29 Some manuscripts add and fasting

Do you believe everything that is told to you wholeheartedly? Do you doubt or are unsure whether to believe something that is told to you? Let’s admit it, we all have doubts about one thing or another, whether it be an answer to a question that you’ve asked or if somebody is keeping something from you.

We come to Jesus healing a boy with an unclean spirit. His father explains that the boy suffers from an evil spirit that ‘makes him mute’ (v17) and ‘throws him into fire and water’ (v22). The man asks the disciples to heal the boy as in an earlier chapter of Mark (Mark ch6), he gave them ‘authority over impure spirits’ (Mark 6v7) but they are unable to.

When Jesus is told this, he says “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” He is saying that they have not enough faith. Jesus healed the boy and when the disciples ask why they could not heal the boy, he says “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” (v29).

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Faith in Perfection

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My early years were spent in SE London and I frequently passed the Metropolitan Tabernacle at the Elephant and Castle where Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached for many years. Quite near to where I lived was the Manse. Then it meant virtually nothing to me but since becoming a Christian I have come to appreciate his life and works. Known as the “Prince of Preachers” he preached this sermon, from which extracts of the introduction are taken, on the 2nd of January 1859 at the age of 25. Roy

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”
Psalm 138:8.

I HAVE SELECTED THIS TEXT, or, rather, it has been given to me to furnish a motto for the whole year to all the believing family of God When I opened my envelope I found this text, and it charmed me. It contains in itself the very essence of the grace of God. It reads like music to the soul, and is like a bottle of water in the desert to the thirsty lip. Let me read it again, and remember it, and dwell upon it, and digest it during all the year. “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”
In the opening, I must remark that this is not the heritage of all mankind. The word, “me,” in the text, cannot be appropriated by any man, unless he, in some respects, resembles the character of David, who penned this psalm. The text, however, itself, is its own guard. If you look at it, you will see that there is in its bowels a full description of a true Christian. I will ask you three questions suggested by the words themselves, and according to your answer to these three questions, shall be my reply, yes or no, as to whether this promise belongs to you.
To begin, let us read the first sentence–”The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.” Now, have you a concern in and a concern about heavenly things? Have you ever felt that eternity concerns you more than time; that the mansions of heaven are more worthy your consideration than the dwelling-places of earth? Have you felt that you ought to have a greater concern about your immortal soul than about your perishing body? Remember, if you are living the life of the butterfly, the life of the present, a sportive and flowery life, without making any preparation or taking any thought for a future world, this promise is not yours. If the things of God do not concern you, then God will not perfect them for you. You must have in your own soul a concern about these things, and afterwards you must have a belief in your heart that you have an interest in heavenly things, or otherwise it would be a perversion of Holy Scripture for you to appropriate these precious things to yourselves. Can we then, each of us put our hand upon our heart and say, without stammering, which suggests a hypocrite–can we say honestly, as in the sight of God; “I am concerned about the things of God, of Christ, of salvation, of eternity!
Another question is suggested by the second clause, “Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever.” Have we then tasted of God’s mercy? Have you and I gone to the throne of grace conscious of our lost estate? Have we made confession of our sins? Have we looked to the blood of Jesus; and do we know that the mercy of God has been manifested to us? Have we breathed the dying thief’s petition, and have we had the gracious answer of Jesus. We must first taste God’s mercy and, having tasted that, we may believe that he will perfect that which concerneth us.
A third question, and I beseech you put these questions to your heart, lest you should be misled, by any comfortable words that I shall hereafter speak, into the foul delusion, that this promise signifies yourself, when it does not. The last question is suggested by the prayer, “Forsake not the works of thine own hands.” Have you then a religion which is the work of God’s hands? Oh! beloved, except a man be born again, or from above, as the original has it, he cannot see the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and cannot enter heaven; only that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, and is, therefore, capable of inheriting a spiritual inheritance, which God reserves for spiritual men. Let each hearer, then, pause and put these three questions to himself,–Am I concerned about religion? Have I tasted the mercy of God? Is my religion God’s work? They are solemn questions; answer them! and if ye can even humbly say “Yes,” then come ye to this text, for the joy and comfort of it is yours.
We have three things here. First, the believer’s confidence,–”The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.” Secondly, the ground of that confidence,–”Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever;” and thirdly, the result and outgrowth of his confidence expressed in the prayer,–”Forsake not the works of thine own hands.”

Read the whole of the sermon at
C. H. Spurgeon Sermons no.231

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Unsettlingly faithful

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25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:25-35 (ESV)

He’s an unsettlingly faithful God.

His actions are riven through with faithfulness – it just seeps through them like brandy through a Christmas pudding. God affirms his faithfulness to Abraham, to Israel, to the world. He keeps faith with the prophets and seers whose lives spanned the intervening years. His promises are kept without fail, from the cosmos changing, life saving plan to redeem, restore and renew a world and a people mired in the slurry of sin, all the way to an old man who’s been promised he’ll see Jesus born before he dies.

But he’s also unsettling. Jesus was “appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel.” The status quo is broken – and he is not interested in preserving it. There’s stuff that he’s done, and stuff that he’s doing – and there’ll be stuff to look forward to that we won’t look forward to.

But even as we brace ourselves for the invigorating, divinely driven change, we should remember that it’s just what God is doing.

Faithful is who he is.

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Unsettlingly faithful

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25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:25-35 (ESV)

He’s an unsettlingly faithful God.

His actions are riven through with faithfulness – it just seeps through them like brandy through a Christmas pudding. God affirms his faithfulness to Abraham, to Israel, to the world. He keeps faith with the prophets and seers whose lives spanned the intervening years. His promises are kept without fail, from the cosmos changing, life saving plan to redeem, restore and renew a world and a people mired in the slurry of sin, all the way to an old man who’s been promised he’ll see Jesus born before he dies.

But he’s also unsettling. Jesus was “appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel.” The status quo is broken – and he is not interested in preserving it. There’s stuff that he’s done, and stuff that he’s doing – and there’ll be stuff to look forward to that we won’t look forward to.

But even as we brace ourselves for the invigorating, divinely driven change, we should remember that it’s just what God is doing.

Faithful is who he is.

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The promise fulfilled

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Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
(Matthew 1:18-25, ESV)

Imagine this – you’re Joseph are betrothed to marry your fiancé Mary when you discover that she is pregnant, and it’s not your baby. How would you have reacted?

Joseph is compassionate towards her and not wanting her to be subject to shame and possibly death by stoning decides to quietly divorce her, but God intervenes sending an angel to him in a dream. The angel reassures Joseph and explains to him that this baby is from God and is the one who will save his people from their sins, and that he is to give him the name Jesus (meaning God saves) to show this.

Matthew notes that this is to fulfill that which was promised many years ago through Isaiah – that a son would be born to a virgin – a son who would be God with us.  God made man, come down to live life amongst his people, just as they’d been longing for.

I wonder how much of this Joseph understood at the time, or whether this was seen retrospectively as it was passed on. The angel had given Joseph enough for immediately on waking he puts his trust in God’s plan and obeys the command given to him through the angel.

Will you, like Joseph, trust and obey God when he calls you to stand by him?

Joseph was faced with the age old choice between appearing righteous and shunning Mary or being righteous and taking her as his wife.

What do you do when faced with these choices? Are you ready to make a stand for Jesus against the prevailing culture when you don’t know what will happen?

Joseph standing at her side, baby not from him
Still he takes her as his bride, faithful to the God of dreams;
Oh I wonder could he know,
How this was gonna go
’cause a promise made is a promise kept,
redemption comes,
comes as God wrapped in flesh

(from Cradle to the Cross by Nathan Tasker  – video – download)

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When your only hope becomes your worst nightmare

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3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.  4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgement. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Malachi 3:1-5

I have a kind of love-hate relationship with Christmas.  There’s a lot to enjoy, but there’s also the sense of grief; of looking around and seeing a friend’s legacy and name dishonoured.  The pagan worship of materialism, but with the Jesus® brand spray-painted across the temple walls.  Just enough religious tinsel to give it an illusion of depth, and everything done up so very … nicely.

But the coming of our Lord is not nice.

He does not come to lend his name or stamp “approved by Jesus” on whatever we happen to be doing.  He comes with an agenda – and agenda which will either be the best news you’ve ever heard, or the worst.  Exceeding the ferocious intensity of a refining fire, or the cleansing power of the abrasive chemicals used to clean the accumulated grease and dirt from wool, he comes to transform and reclaim.  And if we’re sick of the merry-go-round of sin, then we will welcome this with open arms.

But for those who profit from the oppression and injustice – and there are plenty – this is bad news.  For those people who have no respect for God, or his opinion, their only hope has become their worst nightmare – because he doesn’t come to validate us, he comes to fix us.  He doesn’t come to consult us on the way forward – he comes with the only plan that has a chance of working – and must judge those who oppose it.  Those who’d rather continue trying to manipulate “the gods”, being unfaithful, lying, being racist or ungodly will meet not with salvation, but with judgement.

As Christmas approaches, and we remind ourselves of God who came in humble flesh and will return in glory, we do well to remember the words of the hymn:

“Jesus is Lord!”—a shout of joy, a cry of anguish,
As He returns, and ev’ry knee bows low.
Then ev’ry eye and ev’ry heart will see His glory,
The Judge of all will take His children home.

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God’s people longing for him to come down and meet with them

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Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?

(Isaiah 64:1-5, ESV)

 

It’s nearly Christmas!!!! Presents, too much food and a lot of family gatherings/meetings that only happen once a year….great!

In the passage, the people were hoping that God would come down to see them – longing as it says in the title and meet with them. In verse 4 it says ‘From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.’ This is the people praising God for what he does for them now but verse 5 talks about how God was angry with them and the people admitting they had sinned and were still sinning as they ask:

‘Shall we be saved?’

Over Christmas, it’s a great chance to invite your friends and family who are not christians (and those that are…obviously! :) ) to the carol service or the family service or the christmas day service as everybody in the world and our community are not saved and christmas is a great time to invite and reflect on what God has done for us.

Merry Christmas!